Felbermayr takes over Bulgarian crane rental company

The Felbermayr and Maritza managing directors after signing the contract. From left to right: Yordan Georgiev, Maritza Kranvermietung; DI Horst Felbermayr, Felbermayr Holding; Angel Yankov, Maritza Kranvermietung; Mag. Peter Stöttinger, Felbermayr Transport- und Hebetechnik. Photo: Felbermayr

Effective 31 May, Austrian crane, transport, aerial work platform specialist and construction contractor Felbermayr, acquired Bulgarian crane rental company Maritza.

This move further reinforces Felbermayr’s position in southeastern Europe and is also a first foray for the company into work platform rental in Bulgaria. The family company has been active in crane rental in Bulgaria since 2007. “We started this subsidiary together with another one in Romania,” said Horst Felbermayr, CEO.

Peter Stöttinger, Felbermayr managing director, commented, “By taking over the crane rental company Maritza, we now have the opportunity to further strengthen our market position in Bulgaria, with another goal being to establish our platform rental business in Bulgaria as part of the expansion.”

Maritza consists of the two companies Maritza Manpower OOD and Maritza Avtokranove OOD. It operates in Plovdiv with 21 employees. Plovdiv in central Bulgaria has a population around 350,000 and is an important industrial centre. The Maritza fleet comprises six cranes, in lifting capacities from 40 to 160 tonnes. The Maritza name will be retained.

New location

Felbermayr’s existing Bulgarian operation is in Haskovo, 90 km southeast of Plovdiv. “With the retirement of our long-standing divisional manager Valentin Radev, we will relocate the existing branch to the Maritza Group in Plovdiv,” said Stöttinger. He is confident the 18 Felbermayr employees from Haskovo will also relocate.

The combined equipment fleet will then be around 12 cranes, up to 250 tonnes, and there will be 41 employees.

Felbermayr is a well established specialist in crane and platform rental with around 600 wheeled mobile and crawler cranes, plus 4,000 work platforms and forklifts in Europe. Based in Wels, Austria, it has 77 locations in 18 European countries. Employees number around 3,000 and consolidated net sales were around €552 million in 2021.